Magic
Magic is magic and magic can be described as chaotic, dark, demonic, holy, necromantic, unholy, and wild. However, Blizzard employees arrogantly decided to break magic down into different forms then treat those forms of magic as actual magics even though forms of magic are not magics. When regarding to a fantasy setting where there is magic, it could be good for people to fantasize about that fantasy any way they want to. This is why it seems pointless trying to convince everyone that demonic power is necromantic magic. Cosmic Forces Death and Life File:Death Coil.jpg|Death Coil: Death is not something you can run from when it comes for you. File:Twisted Wrath.jpg|Twisted Wrath: "When pushed to the brink, even the wild will make a necessary sacrifice for the greater good." - Jasmia, Nature's Chosen File:Renewal of Life.jpg|Renewal of Life: Those that fully embrace the cycle of life know that death is only a temporary state of being. The forces of death and life hold sway over ever living thing in the physical universe. In the form of necromantic magic, death acts as a counterbalance to life. It is an unavoidable force that breeds despair in mortal hearts and pushes everything toward a state of entropic decay and eventual oblivion. It is said that the sacrifice of life is the only way to ensure the saving of another.Quest:In the Hands of the Perverse - You have all of the moonstones that are needed. And yet, it is said that a sacrifice of life is the only way to ensure the saving of another. Sacrificial magic was considered the greatest violation of lifeQuest:Seeking the Soulstones - Blade's Edge Memory: Doomguard says: Sacrificial magic was considered the greatest violation of life and we were attuned to instantly punish those who delved into such... delicious sorcery. and the energies of life, known commonly as nature magic, promote growth and renewal in all things.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 22 on iBooks Disorder and Order File:Fel Inversion.jpg|Fel Inversion: "You think he looks goofy? YOU tell him that." - Myro Lumastis File:Ritual Sacrifice TCG.jpg|Ritual Sacrifice: Warlocks use every tool at their disposal, including friends. File:Reverse Polarity.jpg|Reverse Polarity: "Arcane magic doesn't follow normal rules of nature. Opposites definitely do not attract." - Belmaril, Timewalker Bloodmage Shadow and Light Shadow and Light are the most fundamental forces in existence. Although contradictory by their very nature, they are bound together on a cosmic scale. One cannot exist without the other. Shadow (also referred to as "the Void") appears as shadow magic, while Light manifests as holy magic. Pure Light and Shadow dwell in a realm outside the borders of reality, but shades of their presence are found in the physical universe.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 21 on iBooks Spells (or Abilities) Spells are abilities that allow their casters to achieve their goals. Refitting Spells The Denizens of the Cosmos Void Lords Composed of pure shadow energy, the void lords are monstrous entities. These beings are cruel and merciless beyond mortal comprehension. The void lords seek to devour all matter and energy in the physical universe, driven by an insatiable hunger. In their natural state, the void lords exist outside of reality. Only the most powerful of these entities can manifest in the physical universe, and only for limited amounts of time. The void lords must consume untold amounts of matter and energy to maintain their presence in reality.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 32-33 on iBooks Naaru The naaru are benevolent creatures of living holy energy. They are perhaps the purest expression of the Light that exists in the Great Dark Beyond. The naaru have vowed to bring peace and hope to all mortal civilizations and waylay the dark forces of the Void that seek to engulf creation.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 33 on iBooks Titans Composed of the primordial matter from which the universe was born, the titans are colossal godlike beings. They roam the cosmos like walking worlds, imbued with the raw power of creation itself. The titans, who are all uniquely susceptible to fel magic, use this incredible force to find and awaken others of their kind--others who still slumber within the far corners of the Great Dark.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 33-34 on iBooks The Burning Legion File:Doom Lord Kazzak.jpg|Doom Lord Kazzak: "Now the shadow of the Legion falls over this world. It is only a matter of time until all of your failed creation ... is undone."|thumb|none|link=http://wowmagic.wikia.com/wiki/File:Doom_Lord File:Fel Cannon.jpg|Fel Cannon: "The Burning Legion has no need for ammunition like cannonballs. The demons utilize far more potent weaponry." - Dralor|thumb|none|link=http://wowmagic.wikia.com/wiki/File:Fel Within the Great Dark Beyond, the Burning Legion is the single most destructive force. The fallen titan Sargeras created this vast demonic army to scour all creation. The Burning Legion moves from world to world, decimating everything in its path with devastating fel magic. No one knows exactly how many worlds and mortal civilizations the demons have annihilated in their unholy Burning Crusade. The demons that fill the ranks of the Burning Legion are highly resilient. Their spirits are tethered to the Twisting Nether, making them extraordinary difficult to destroy permanently. Even if a demon dies in the physical universe, its spirit will return to the Twisting Nether. To truly destroy a demon's spirit, the creature must be killed in the Twisting Nether itself, in places where that volatile maelstrom bleeds into mortal worlds, or in areas inundated with the Burning Legion's energies.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 34-35 on iBooks Old Gods Physical manifestations of the Void, the Old Gods are nightmares incarnate: mountains of blighted flesh and writhing tentacles that grow like cancers within the worlds of the Great Dark. These malignant entities serve the void lords, and they live only to transform the worlds they infest into places of despair and death.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 35-36 on iBooks Wild Gods The primal manifestations of life and nature, the Wild Gods are creatures of two realms. The Wild Gods inhabit the physical world of Azeroth, but their spirits are bound to the ethereal Emerald Dream. Many Wild Gods appear in the form of gargantuan animals, such as wolves, bears, tigers, or birds.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 36 on iBooks Elemental Spirits The elemental spirits are primitive chaotic beings of fire, earth, air, or water. They were some of the first sentient creatures to inhabit the nascent worlds of the physical universe. The elemental spirits appear in an almost infinite variety of shapes and sizes. Each of these creatures has a distinct personality and temperament, traits that are heavily influenced by a spirit's elemental nature. The presence of the fifth element—Spirit—also affects the disposition of these elemental beings. A world with an overabundance of Spirit may give rise to native elementals who lack physicality. Conversely, a world with too little Spirit may birth elementals who are highly aggressive and incredibly destructive.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 36-37 on iBooks Undead The undead are former mortals who have died and become trapped between life and death. These tragic beings derive their power from the necromantic energies that pervade the universe. Most undead are driven by vengance and hatred to destroy the one thing they can never have again: life.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 37-38 on iBooks The Realms of Existence The Great Dark Beyond The Great Dark Beyond represents the physical universe. It is an infinite living realm composed of innumerable stars, worlds, and mortal civilizations. Azeroth—the world of Warcraft—is merely one of the countless world drifting through the vast reaches of the Great Dark Beyond. World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 27 on iBooks The Twisting Nether The Twisting Nether is an astral dimension that lies in parallel with the Great Dark Beyond. The forces of Light and Void bleed together at the boundaries of the Twisting Nether, engulfing this realm in perpetual strife. At times, the volatile magics that pervade the Twisting Nether intrude upon the physical universe, warping reality beyond measure.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 27-28 on iBooks The Emerald Dream The Emerald Dream is an ethereal realm of spirits and untamed nature that exists alongside the world of Azeroth. Incredible beings known as the keepers forged the Emerald Dream to act as a map for the evolutionary path of Azeroth's flora and fauna. The two realms are bound as one: as life ebbs and flows across the physical world, the spiritual energies that saturate the Emerald Dream keep pace with it. Although tied to the physical world, the Emerald Dream is a place that most mortal minds would find alien and surreal. But some of those minds, by channeling druidic magic, can enter a state of dreaming and consciously navigate the Emerald Dream. Their thoughts can also shape and influence portions of this verdant realm, but the imprint that these dreamers leave behind is never permanent. In the dreamways, time and distance are mutable. Spirits flow like living winds through lush tracts of constantly shifting primordial woodlands. What appears tangible one moment becomes intangible the next; seemingly impermeable landmarks transform in the blink of an eye.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 29-30 on iBooks The Shadowlands The Shadowlands represents death, whereas the Emerald Dream represents life. Like the Emerald Dream, the Shadowlands are tangentially linked to the world of Azeroth. They are nightmarish realms of decay, labyrinthine spiritual planes teeming with the souls of the dead who have passed from the world of the living. The origins of the Shadowlands remain uncertain, but they have existed every since mortal life first arose in the physical universe. Many believe that mortal souls are drawn into this dark place at the point of death, where they remain forever after. Still others hope that their souls will go on to a brighter place, rather than languish for eternity within the cold confines of the Shadowlands.World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 30-32 on iBooks The Schools of Magic Abjuration Abjuration is the study of protective magic and one of the most important schools to study. The most generalized abjuration spell is the mana shield, a spell that transmutes raw mana into a barrier that protects the caster from attacks. Properly executed, this spell can protect against even the most formidable of attacks - but the mana shield is very difficult for a novice to master. It often takes months of practice to even conjure a simple mana shield, and thus, more basic alternatives exist. A series of elemental armor spells were invented to aid in the unfortunate case that he or she might be attacked. These spells require far less raw energy to cast then a mana shield and are more easily maintained over time, but lack the raw potency of the mana shield. Rather than stopping an attack completely, a frost armor spell might simply decrease the effectiveness of the assault. The more advanced armor spells grant other benefits - for example, the potent mage armor spell actually assists the caster in regaining magical power more easily. Practitioners of the arcane arts are often ambitious, and they frequently find themselves in situations where magic may slip just slightly beyond their control. It is for this reason that the ward spells exist. Ward spells are quick, potent incantations to protect the caster against a form of elemental damage - damage which is often caused by the caster attempting one of the other schools of magic. This is why studying abjuration early is so imperative.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Abjuration Conjuration Conjuration is the study of summoning - both creatures and objects.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Conjuration Divination Divination is the school of magic dedicated to gathering information. Powerful divinations can allow one to see targets from a great distance, or even view what may normally be invisible. One of the most common uses of divination magic is scrying, which is the art of seeing something that may be far away - perhaps even on another plane of existence.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Divination Enchanting Enchantment is the process of imbuing an object - or person - with magical power. Some enchantments are temporary, while others can offer permanent benefits. Enchanting can be difficult to learn, but it is one of the most potentially lucrative forms of magic to study. Disenchanting is the process of dispelling or removing magic. The dispel magic spell can potentially reverse the catastrophic effects of a misfired spell. It is also possible to permanently disenchant a magical item. This produces a unique form of crystallized mana that can be used in the process of imbuing another item with magical abilities. While this can get expensive, it is often one of the best ways to study the enchanting process.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Enchantment Illusion Illusion is the art of deceiving reality itself. The mists of illusion can make one invisible or inaudible to the world or twist the image of a location into something entirely different. Illusion can be used for disguise or manipulation, but it is stated that spells to counteract illusions exist in the divination school.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Illusion Necromancy Necromancy is the study of magic involving the dead. Necromantic magic has many functions beyond simply raising the dead. Masters of this tainted field of magic can conjure festering diseases, harness the shadows into bolts of incendiary energy, and chill the living with the power of death. Necromancy can also be used to reconstruct the flesh of undead creatures, allowing them to function again even after the foul monsters have been destroyed.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Necromancy Transmutation The ninth and final school of magic is transmutation. It is among the most popular and useful of all of the schools, allowing a mage to manipulate time and space. Perhaps the most iconic Transmutation spell is Polymorph, which allows one to turn something - or someone - into something else. Fortunately, the effects are not permanent. The second most famous use for transmutation magic is teleportation. The most basic teleportation spell is Blink, and it remains among the most useful. Blink can be used to quickly escape a foe - or save a mage who has accidentally fallen off a cliff. Do not attempt to use blink to escape falling to death unless absolutely necessary. This is the kind of trick one can only fail once. Spells that manipulate time also fall into this category. The ever-popular slow fall spell is an excellent alternative to falling to death (and much more reliable than Blink at this function). More advanced practitioners of the arcane arts can also learn a spell that slows the movements of their enemies.The Schools of Arcane Magic - Transmutation References Category:Lore Category:Magic